Neal Gabler
I teach a whole course of advice for young and some not-so-young aspiring writers. But here are a few bits of "wisdom," such as they are:
Love the craft.
If you don't have to write, you shouldn't be a writer, because writing is an addiction as much as it is a profession.
Because it is a profession, treat it respectfully. Work hard. Don't find excuses.
Jon Stewart said of Bruce Springsteen, "He always empties his tank." You should always try to empty yours, by which I mean, always give everything you write everything you've got. Strive for excellence.
Write the book or article you want to write, not the one anyone else thinks you ought to write. Basically, never write a book you wouldn't buy.
Treat your readers with respect. Never condescend to them.
Writing shouldn't be a means to an end. It is the end.
Never read reviews. No good review makes you feel as good as a bad review makes you feel bad. If you have written the book you want to write, that should be sufficient satisfaction.
Never get discouraged. The successful writers aren't necessarily the best ones. They are the ones who persisted when they were told "no." Every writer faces "no," sometimes hundreds of "no's."
Love the craft.
If you don't have to write, you shouldn't be a writer, because writing is an addiction as much as it is a profession.
Because it is a profession, treat it respectfully. Work hard. Don't find excuses.
Jon Stewart said of Bruce Springsteen, "He always empties his tank." You should always try to empty yours, by which I mean, always give everything you write everything you've got. Strive for excellence.
Write the book or article you want to write, not the one anyone else thinks you ought to write. Basically, never write a book you wouldn't buy.
Treat your readers with respect. Never condescend to them.
Writing shouldn't be a means to an end. It is the end.
Never read reviews. No good review makes you feel as good as a bad review makes you feel bad. If you have written the book you want to write, that should be sufficient satisfaction.
Never get discouraged. The successful writers aren't necessarily the best ones. They are the ones who persisted when they were told "no." Every writer faces "no," sometimes hundreds of "no's."
More Answered Questions
Jan Finn
asked
Neal Gabler:
I am interested to know if you speak on Walt Disney or what you learned in the writing of the book? I am the chair of a national organ procurement organization's annual meeting to be held in Orlando in June 2017. We'd love to have a tie to Walt Disney and think this might work well. It would be great to tie the imagination to our life-saving work in organ donation and transplantation. Please let me know.
About Goodreads Q&A
Ask and answer questions about books!
You can pose questions to the Goodreads community with Reader Q&A, or ask your favorite author a question with Ask the Author.
See Featured Authors Answering Questions
Learn more